Smooth

A jacket is a mainstay in my closet. The right jacket can make a simple outfit look amazing without much effort. My trick to looking effortlessly cool is through a moto jacket. Moto's are the perfect layering piece. I do not know one item of clothing that I own that does not look great when I wear it with a moto. Moto's in my opinion are enhancers, they just give an outfit the right amount of oomph. I have a good amount of moto's in a variety of colors, but one color always alluded me- RED. Red is not my favorite color, but the color has been a big part of my life. My mom loves the color red, and she would wear it any chance she got. As a plus size girl being raised by a plus size mom, it was amazing to see her wear bold color. My mom didn't shy away from most colors, and I definitely inherited that from her. 

So back to the hunt. For about a year or so, I have been wanting a red moto. Trend forecasts from the runway shows had lots of crimson jackets in the form of bombers and embellished moto's. Seeing the boldness of the jacket really spoke to me. I wanted to strut around the streets of NY grabbing everyone's attention...lol. I love a great statement maker, and I knew when I found the right moto, it will speak volumes. 

This jacket was a hit...so many compliments. Blogger approved!!

While casually checking out Fullbeauty's website for jackets, I came across a red jacket. Not burgandy, not a quilted jacket, but a red suede moto!!! Wait, there's more. It's REAL SUEDE!!!! Finding real leather items or suede are rare in plus, so when I see a great item I get it. This jacket is from the Studio Untold Collection. I went with a size 20, and it fit perfectly. It's cropped, but I still have room to layer with a chunky sweater when the temps drop. After adding this amazing jacket to my cart, I decided to check out what other goodies Fullbeauty had to offer. One of the latest brands added to their site is Ellos, a Swedish brand now stateside. I was in need of a new pair of trousers, and these Ankle Zip Pocket pants were a great addition to my closet. If you are looking for great items to mix into your current work wardrobe, give this brand a try. To finish off my look, I went with my Zara tie up flats (I love being tied up...lol), and my oldie but goodie clutch from Banana Republic. 

Laughs and a view....great little hotel in the city

I received so many compliments on my jacket. It's not every day models ask me can they touch my jacket to feel how smooth it is, so I consider this a win. I got a chance to strut around NYC in a bold moto, just feeling ever so confident.The event I attended was amazing, and stay tuned to the blog because I have tons of pictures (this view alone is A1) from that night. Trust me, you will swoon. Muah!!

Bomber

Fall is here, and it's officially jacket weather!!! One of the biggest trends of the season is the bomber. What I love about this season's bomber jackets are all the added details, like embroidery, sequins, and patches. The first bomber that caught my attention was this Floral Bomber from Who What Wear x Target Collection. 

A little print mixing- can't go wrong with stripes & florals. 

The versatility of this jacket is what drew me to buying it. I went casual chic by pairing the jacket with a stripe tee, denim trousers, creepers, and my rose gold clutch, but I would wear this to work with ankle pants and pumps, or over a nice dress for brunch. I love mixing stripes with florals. A black and white stripe tee pairs with everything, and it's a great piece to have in your closet. I wear a 20 in most jackets, and the 2X fit me perfectly. When it comes to my jackets, I need it to fit well, but still have some room for layering. If you are not big on florals, it is also is available in black as well as olive. If you are interested in trying a bomber, and don't want to break the bank, I say give this one a try. The bomber is only $40, and free shipping & returns (any purchase over $25 warrants free shipping). What do you have to lose?

Flare

With all the new fits, washes, trends, finding a pair of flares has been hard. Either the rise of the jean did not work, or the thighs was too tight causing me to size up, but then the waist was too loose. I was just about to give up, but Simply Be came through with some hopefuls.

I just had to shoot against this wall. It went with my outfit- but that was soo not planned...lol

I never tried Simply Be denim before. I am type when I find a pair I like, I just buy multiple washes and keep it moving. In the spirit of trying new things, I said let's go for it. I went to their site and searched for all things flare. Two types caught my eye- the Phoebe Kick Flare, and the Shape & Sculpt Bootcut. Since I have always been wary of flare jeans, I went with the bootcut just in case. I ordered both in a 16 and hoped for the best. 

80's baby having a 70's moment. Phoebe jeans 

I just had to share the Phoebe first. Ever try on something that you figured wouldn't fit or look good, and when you see they are going up your thighs with no problem you make the "OK" face? That's what happened to me. These have ample stretch, and feel good against my skin. After accepting and winning at the thigh challenge, next up was the waist gap. Due to my lovely big booty, jeans will go up and zip, but when I check the back, the pant has all of my undies out for display. The great thing about these is that they are high waisted so I didn't have to worry about flashing anyone. Since this has a 31 inch inseam, made sure to break out my platforms when I wore these out. 

If you are looking for a new pair of flares, definitely buy these!! The fit is great, they come in 4 colors, and they are only $43!!! That's right, affordable, well made denim for us. Thank you Simply Be. I'm going to give more of your denim a test drive in the future. Another item off my fashion bucket list. Woohoo!!!

6th & Lane

Hello lovers!!

Another week, another post. Fall fashion is in full effect, and I can not be happier. Fall to me is all about renewal, and 6th and Lane has dropped it's latest collection online and in stores. The new collection is designed by Tess Giberson, and it features faux leather culottes, a moto jacket, fringed skirts & tops, and cool sweatshirts. This collection has cool girl vibes written all over it. My favorite piece from the collection is this sweatshirt dress. 

Grey is my favorite color, and it's everywhere this season!! Swoon!!!

This is the perfect chill dress. It's versatility makes it a great go to throughout fall. I can wear this with sneakers to run errands, or dress it up with heels and wear this to work. When the temps drop I can just throw on a moto and go about my business. It's soft and comfortable like my favorite pair of sweats just in dress form. Happy point for me- it has pockets!! I'm big on pockets, especially when they are in dresses. Pockets can make the difference from being a good dress to a great dress. Another highlight of the dress is the cutout detail in the back. It gives the dress a bit of edginess and sexiness. It's like ooo what is that peeking out right there...lol

Sweatshirt dress with cut outs and cute shoes, yes & yes. 

Another new favorite of mine are these Sam Edelman flats. Every fall I get a new flat for the season. This year, it was all about the Reyanne flat. Suede shoes are my favorite, and the spike detail just took them to the next level. They are super comfortable, and they come in six colors. If you are looking for a new flat, check these out. They are selling fast, so don't sleep on these. 

I am loving what is coming down the pipeline for fall. What are you loving so far? Sound off in the comments?

Essence Streetstyle

Well hello lovers!! Fashion Week is in full effect, and one of my favorite events to attend is Essence Streetstyle in Dumbo, BK. The day long event has vendors, food, and fabulous black people enjoying the day. It's not just fashionista's neither, men & the kiddie's show up and show out. 

Shea Moisture was there selling their amazing products (I bought my favorite soap- their Coconut & Hibiscus is my go to), doing hair makeovers, and giving out massages. My massage was everything. Getting the chair massage just reminded me on how I need a spa day, but I digress. I also got a chance to talk to the ladies of Madam CJ Walker products. Earlier this year, the line was launched, but I was not sure what products would work for me. Despite my love of blowouts, there are a lot of styling products that make my hair go flat and limp on a hot day. Chatting it up with the ladies, they recommended the Silkening Blow Out Creme. It helps extend the life of your blowout without being heavy. Can't wait to give it a try!! Rue 107 and Nakimuli were there with some amazing prints as usual. Food vendors were there serving up wings, and the drink of the day was a frozen drink in a pineapple. That drink had everyone right. 

Had to put my hair up cause it was hot....like, why is it soo hot hot...lol

When I'm out all day, I stay away from anything too form fitting. Pulling on items and re-adjusting is not the move, so I stick to easy staples with a twist- a tee and some pants with some great accessories. Jeans are my weakness, so when I saw these highwaisted wide legged jeans, I had to give them a try. These are my first pair of highwaisted jeans and they are amazing. I received so many compliments. These are long, but with my flatforms, they are the perfect length. These have ample stretch, so I went with my regular size 16. Since the length is great for heels (on me, since I'm 5'5"), part of me wants to get another pair and get them tailored to wear with my flats. Have you tried a pair of wide leg jeans? Love them? Let me know!